Poultry fountain



June 13, 1939. PERRH 2,162,314

POULTRY FOUNTAIN File d Aug. 5, 1938 Patented June 13, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to poultry watering devices, and more particularly to a device which prevents the water from freezing in winter.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a construction which not only heats the source of water supply as well as the drinking water, but also automatically controls the source of supply in such a way that drinking water is rendered automatically available under all conditlons of use. In that connection the invention contemplates a drinking receptacle which directly operates the supply valve. In other words, when the receptacle is full. the water supply is automatically cut-01f, and, on the other hand, when the quantity of water in the receptacle becomes lessened either by use or evaporation, fresh water will be automatically supplied.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel housing for the water supply means in 20 which the receptacle for drinking water constitutes the cover. The receptacle may be readily removed when desired for cleaning and the mere act of lifting the receptacle will cut off the water supply. When the receptacle is re- 25 placed it is only necessary to manually press the same toward its seat until it becomes sufficiently filled with water to actuate the valve and eventually cut-ofi the source of supply by the weight of the water contained therein. 30 A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel mounting for the receptacle, which mounting in turn controls the water supply valve. With the above and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully de-.

scribed, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the improved device.

45 Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view of the receptacle mounting and the means for controlling the water supply valve.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken at right angles to Figure 2 illustrating the mechanism of 50 Figure 2 with the spring partially expanded and the valve turned midway to filling position.

Figures 4 and 5 are diagrammatic views illustrating respectively the position of the'water supply valve when the supply of water is cut- 55 off due to the receptacle being adequately filled and when the receptacle is lifted from its supporting saddle.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawing. 5 I

In the embodiment illustrated the invention includes in its organization a housing designated generally as A and preferably including the side walls I-l filled with insulation 2, the said housing being adapted to be positioned on the ground so that its lower end may be covered with earth. The upper edge of the casing A is formed with a receptacle seat 3 for the purpose of receiving a receptacle 4 which also constitutes the cover for the housing. The receptacle 4 is preferably 5 in the form of a pan, and, as will be apparent from the drawing, is intended to have its outer edge or rim rest in the seat 3 when it is filled with water.

Within the housing A there is provided a water supply pipe 5 having a valve casing 6 at the upper end thereof including a plug valve I, provided with a passageway 8, for controlling the supply of water to a pipe extension 9 leading to a casing Hi. This casing is preferably in the form of a casting mounted in the side wall of the housing and has an exterior sealing cap II. The portion of the casing Ill within the housing is provided with heat radiating fins Illa on its exterior. The cap ll carries therewith a heating element l2 of any approved type, the said heating element being connected with a suitable source of electric current supply l3. A manual switch Be: is provided for controlling the current and a thermal switch I3!) is employed for keeping the water in the casing ID at the selected temperature.

The casing I0 is also provided with the discharge pipe Hl whose upper end is curved downwardly as indicated at l5 to direct water into the receptacle 4.

The receptacle 4 rests on and is carried by a saddle plate l6 which is normally urged upwardly by a coil spring ll whose lower end is mounted on a stationary support 18 carried by the valve casing 6. The saddle i6 is connected by the link IS with the arm 20 of the plug valve 1. To balance the saddle plate in its upward and downward movement the idler links 2| and 22 are also employed at the end of the valve casing opposite the link IS. The idler links merely serve to guide the saddle plate IS in its movement to insure proper operation of the link i9 which controls the valve I through the lever 20.

Assuming that the device is adjusted for wining element i2 is supplied with electric current from the wires II by turning the switch a to its closed position. If the pan 4 resting on the saddle plate It is only partly filled, water will enter through the discharge pipe I! due-to the fact that the valve I is so positioned that its passageway I will permit water to flow from the supply pipe 5 to the casing ill which, as previously indicated, communicates with ,the discharge pipe I. As the pan becomes filled, it settles under the weight oi its contents and ultimately closes the valve. If it is desired to clean the pan 4 it is simply necessary to lift it from the seat I. When the pan I is removed, the spring II will push the saddle ii to its upper limit, thereby causing the link I! to close the valve and effectively cutting oi! the supply of water to the pan.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present construction provides a receptacle or pan which not only constitutes a removable cover for the housing, but also due to its varying weight caused by the varying volume 01' water therein will also automatically keep the pan filled to the proper level. Due to the fact that the spring l'l collapses when the pan is full, it will be impossible for the pan to automatically be overfllled and thus overflow. The casing in not only heats so the water supplied to the pan 4, but also radiates heat within the housing A which will normally prevent the water in the pan freezing.

2,162,314 ter operation it will be understood that the heat- I claim:

1. A poultry fountain including a housing, a receptacle for holding drinking water forming a removable cover for the housing, a source of water supply within the housing, a valve, a pipe line between said valve and said receptacle, said pipe line including a water tight casing located within the housing, an electrical heating element within the casing for heating the water flowing through said pipe line, and means for yieldingly supporting said receptacle associated with said valve, said means being actuated by the weight 0! the contents or the receptacle automatically to control the flow or water thereto.

2. A poultry fountain including an insulated housing having its upper edge termed as a receptacle seat, a receptacle removably fitted to said seat and adapted to hold drinking water, a water supply pipe led into the housing beneath the receptacle, a valve for said pipe, a branch pipe leading from said valve, a casing having an electrical heating element therein communicating with said branch pipe, a discharge pipe leading from the casing to the receptacle, a saddle forsupporting the central portion of the bottom of the receptacle, a coil spring mounted on the water supply pipe and engaging beneath the saddle plate to normally urge the same upwardly, and link means connecting the saddle with the valve to cause the latter to be operated by the weight of the receptacle on the saddle.

THOMAS PERRI. 

